THE CHIMBORAZO IN A STORM.

Kumara Times, Issue 1090, 29 March 1880, Page 3

THE CHIMBORAZO IN A STORM.

v . *—: — 7 V [By Telegraph, via Suez..] . » The Chimborazo encountered a Fearfoil hurricane on Feb. 9, south-west of tTshant. She had quitted Plymouth With 362 passengers, a Valuable cargOj and the largest mail ever carried by the "Orient Company. The wind was blowing hard, and shortly before 9 in the morning, a gigantic waVe was noticed 'coming in. the direction of the ship. XMward it came-, towering high above the verael and threatening to engulph "everything; With a terrible crash it dashed on to the starboard side from the funnel abaft the bridge, pouring over the ship with resistless power. The spar deck was completely swept-, and the wave carried over every obstacle-. The steam launch was torn from its berth, and five other boats from their daVits. The galley skylights, smoking room, sheep pCns-, saloon companion, ventilators) and the whole of the general fittings of the centre deck were carried away. The shock was fearful; There was terrible consternation, and for the moment it was feared that all standing on that part of the vessel, w atchiug th e wave, had been carried away; but it was soon ascertained that) whilst nearly all these were more or less injured, Only four had been swept overboard—a cabin passenger, Mr J. Bozer, C.E., and three seamen. Mr J. E. Jones, a second-class passenger, had his skull fractured and died almost immediately ; sixteen other passengers were injured. The purser had seen that the wave rnnst sweep over the vessel, so just before she was struck he shouted to all to lay hold of anything, otherwise everyone there must have been swept overboard. Fortunately, the sea did hot put the fires cut. The only resource was to put the ship's head about for Plymouth, as soon as it could possibly be done with safety. The saloon was much damaged, but the hull and engines were uninjured. A few minutes before the wave broke, the Captain requested the passengers to leave the smok-ing-room, as he desired to put the sheep there, several having been already Washed overboard. The passengers left accordingly, and a few minutes later the room was carried away with the deck-houses. The Chimborazo returned to Plymouth without assistance, and landed her passengers. Several of the daily papers had leaders cemmenting on the accident} and all concur in awarding great praise to the captain, officers, and crew. The Standai'd says :—" The wave was so huge as to suggest the idea that it was due to some volcanic or subterranean disturbance other than the ordinary forces of the tempest. None of the Australian passengers returning by the Chirnborazo were iujured in any way.